Right and left of the middle and upper portions of the garden the great
yew hedges are double; planted in parallel lines, with an open space
between. Scotch Firs, now very old and towering high aloft, give great
character to this part of the garden. In one place there are three
parallel hedges of yew, the two outermost forming the “Dark Arbour,” a
tunnel of yew a hundred yards in length, only broken near its lower end,
where a small fountain marks the crossing of a broad path.
All the lower portion of the garden is surrounded by a dense grove of
trees, in which other tall Scotch Firs stand out conspicuously. Its most
extensive area is on the right side of the Great Water, where several
grassy paths, bounded by clipped hedges of yew and lime, radiate from a
large circular space where there is a wide, round basin and
fountain-jet. Looking along one of the pleasant green ways, other jets
are seen springing from further fountains where more paths cross. The
ends of some of the walks are finished with alcoves or arbours. One of
them, that runs diagonally from the right-hand side of the large pool,
crosses the great wood fountain, and passing on some distance further
ends at a magnificent lead urn on a massive pedestal. This is also the
terminal point of view of another of the longest of the green paths.
The water that supplies the pools and fountains comes from a wild pond,
the home of many wild-fowl, that is on a higher level, outside the
grounds and beyond one of the roads that bounds them. A stream from the
pond meanders through the wooded ground, and is conducted by a culvert
to the large pool; the overflow passing out on the opposite side in the
same way.
Important in the garden’s decoration are the unusual number of lead
statues and other accessories, of excellent design. The upper lawn has
two kneeling figures of negro or Indian type, bearing on their heads,
partly supported by their hands, circular tables with moulded edges that
carry an urn-finial. The central ornament of the next level is the
Flying Mercury, after John of Bologna. Referring to this example,
Messrs. Blomfield and Inigo Thomas tell us in “The Formal Garden in
England” that “lead statues very easily lose their centre of gravity.”
This is exemplified by the Mercury at Melbourne, which has already come
over to a degree which makes its evident want of balance distressing to
the eye of the beholder, and forebodes its eventual downfall.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account